4 ms·

I would love a wired trackpad. Every couple of weeks I probably burn 20 minutes or so when either my home office trackpad or my office track pad just stop being

I would love a wired trackpad. Every couple of weeks I probably burn 20 minutes or so when either my home office trackpad or my office track pad just stop being seen by my MBP. The fast that my apple device frequently can't talk to my apple device has kept me from pushing much deeper in other bluetooth devices as it is bound to be worse.

glhaynes 9y ago
I would love a wired trackpad. You can use Apple's current trackpad (the "Magic Trackpad 2", I believe) on a Mac (at least) via USB even with Bluetooth entirely off. Edit: I believe (but have not confirmed) that their current keyboard works similarly. Their current mouse does not, at least in any really useful way, because its Lightning port is on the bottom.
- samstave 9y ago
  because its Lightning port is on the bottom. I have always been amazed how everyone touts apple as the pinnacle of a design powerhouse, yet there are so many critically stupid design decisions the company has made, this being just one.
  - theodorton 9y ago
    I totally agree, and had to Google for answers for this decision. The rationale, at least what I found, to be that people wouldn't let it completely charge with a different design, but with this one people would leave it charging overnight. Also something about users ignoring the fact that it's wireless and just always use it with the cable attached.
    - glhaynes 9y ago
      Those rationales don't make much sense to me since they seem like they'd be equally applicable to the keyboard and trackpad. Every design is about tradeoffs. In this case, the mouse would have to have a somewhat different shape to accommodate a port at the front. That different shape would surely be a poorer fit for the visual aesthetic they were going for and it likely would've impacted the feel during usage, as well. Some people would prefer that tradeoff — certainly those who would prefer to (or have to because of an RF-noisy environment) use the mouse wired all the time. I expect the vast majority of their customers don't do that, though; and, I, for one, prefer (or at least am neutral to) the choice they went with. It definitely makes for a silly-looking photo while it's charging, but it's certainly not a blunder that none of the designers ever considered.
    - CydeWeys 9y ago
      Being able to use it while it's still charging is a really useful fallback scenario, though. Imagine if you couldn't use your phone while it was charging, if it was unusable until it was fully charged again. No one would put up with it. Yet a mouse is vitally important too! If you've reached the point when you need a backup mouse for your primary mouse, then the primary mouse has failed.
      - theshrike79 9y ago
        Except that charging the mouse during a biobreak/while getting more caffeine will charge it enough to last the rest of the day.
- mnm1 9y ago
  Confirmed for the trackpad. It can indeed be used solely via USB. I'm doing it right now. EDIT: added 'for the trackpad'.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
redbeard0x0a 9y ago
The Magic Trackpad 2 with the built in battery and thunderbolt cable works like a wired trackpad when plugged in. No BT required when connected via USB.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]

glhaynes 9y ago

I would love a wired trackpad. You can use Apple's current trackpad (the "Magic Trackpad 2", I believe) on a Mac (at least) via USB even with Bluetooth entirely off. Edit: I believe (but have not confirmed) that their current keyboard works similarly. Their current mouse does not, at least in any really useful way, because its Lightning port is on the bottom.

samstave 9y ago
because its Lightning port is on the bottom. I have always been amazed how everyone touts apple as the pinnacle of a design powerhouse, yet there are so many critically stupid design decisions the company has made, this being just one.
- theodorton 9y ago
  I totally agree, and had to Google for answers for this decision. The rationale, at least what I found, to be that people wouldn't let it completely charge with a different design, but with this one people would leave it charging overnight. Also something about users ignoring the fact that it's wireless and just always use it with the cable attached.
  - glhaynes 9y ago
    Those rationales don't make much sense to me since they seem like they'd be equally applicable to the keyboard and trackpad. Every design is about tradeoffs. In this case, the mouse would have to have a somewhat different shape to accommodate a port at the front. That different shape would surely be a poorer fit for the visual aesthetic they were going for and it likely would've impacted the feel during usage, as well. Some people would prefer that tradeoff — certainly those who would prefer to (or have to because of an RF-noisy environment) use the mouse wired all the time. I expect the vast majority of their customers don't do that, though; and, I, for one, prefer (or at least am neutral to) the choice they went with. It definitely makes for a silly-looking photo while it's charging, but it's certainly not a blunder that none of the designers ever considered.
  - CydeWeys 9y ago
    Being able to use it while it's still charging is a really useful fallback scenario, though. Imagine if you couldn't use your phone while it was charging, if it was unusable until it was fully charged again. No one would put up with it. Yet a mouse is vitally important too! If you've reached the point when you need a backup mouse for your primary mouse, then the primary mouse has failed.
    - theshrike79 9y ago
      Except that charging the mouse during a biobreak/while getting more caffeine will charge it enough to last the rest of the day.
mnm1 9y ago
Confirmed for the trackpad. It can indeed be used solely via USB. I'm doing it right now. EDIT: added 'for the trackpad'.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

redbeard0x0a 9y ago

The Magic Trackpad 2 with the built in battery and thunderbolt cable works like a wired trackpad when plugged in. No BT required when connected via USB.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]